Almanac

News - February 26, 2014

Police Calls

WOODSIDE

Theft reports:

• Someone fraudulently used the credit card of a resident of Greer Road to buy $20,500 worth of solar panels from an Oregon business and have the panels delivered to an address in Laredo, Texas. Feb. 12.

• A woman pushed her grocery cart out to her car in the parking lot of Roberts Market and parked the cart near her vehicle's front door. She took out a bag of groceries, put it in her car, and sat inside for a while. When she got out to get a pen from her $6,000 Hermes purse that was also in the cart, the cart and her purse were gone. Feb. 5.

ATHERTON

Residential burglary reports:

• In a case of forced entry, someone broke into a home on Fairview Avenue and stole a Rolex Executive watch, a gold necklace, a gold Cartier Tank watch and about 100 pieces of jewelry, including rings, earrings and pendants, altogether a loss of about $12,500. Feb. 15.

• A house on Spencer Lane was broken into and a Lancel purse, $1,200 in cash, a $500 gift card and typical purse contents were stolen for a loss totaling $2,100. Feb. 18.

Theft report: Someone stole $145 in cash from a wallet left on the console of an unlocked vehicle parked on Maple Avenue. Feb. 11.

PORTOLA VALLEY

Auto burglary report: The owners of two vehicles parked at Alpine Road and Willowbrook Drive returned after hiking to find their windows smashed and items missing, including a small coin purse from a glove compartment and from rear luggage compartments, a purse and a large bag. Feb. 5.

LADERA

Auto burglary report: Someone smashed the window of a vehicle parked on N. Castanya Way and stole a purse from the front seat. The total loss is about $5,000 in property and cash. Feb. 1.

WEST MENLO PARK

Prescription medicine was stolen from a mailbox on Leland Avenue, with the empty shipping bag found ripped open a couple of blocks away. Feb. 10.

MENLO PARK

Residential burglary reports:

• Someone entered a home on Cotton Street through an unlocked rear door and stole an $1,800 laptop computer that had been sitting on a desk. Feb. 11.

• A $1,700 laptop computer is missing from a house on San Mateo Drive. The rear door had been unlocked. Feb. 13.

Commercial burglary reports:

• A woman entered the Willows Market at Middlefield and Willow roads and walked out with a bottle of beer and dog food that she had not paid for. Police arrested her nearby and booked her into San Mateo County jail on suspicion of burglary. Feb. 18.

• A woman entered Celia's Mexican Restaurant at 1850 El Camino Real and ordered food and an alcoholic beverage. She left with a take-out box holding the remains of her meal but without having paid for the meal. Police arrested her a short distance away from the restaurant and booked her into jail on suspicion of burglary. Feb. 19.

• On two occasions, two suspects were seen on a video surveillance camera trying to enter DSSD Inc. on Bohannon Drive via the front door. They were unsuccessful on both occasions, and on one occasion were wearing dust masks. Feb. 9 and 14.

• A purse containing credit cards and a driver's license and less than $30 in cash was taken from an unlocked car parked on Santa Margarita Avenue. A $50 loss, all told. Feb. 13.

• Vehicle registration and insurance information was taken from the glove compartment of an unlocked vehicle parked on Stanford Avenue. Feb. 18.

Fraud reports:

• Someone made an unauthorized use of a credit card of a resident of Carlton Avenue to buy a $34 article of clothing. Feb. 11.

• A resident of Trinity Drive wired $2,000 to someone who called claiming to be his grandson and had requested $4,000. Feb. 11.

• A resident of Ivy Drive received a phone call from a man claiming to be a police officer who told her of an arrest warrant in her name and that she could avoid being arrested by sending him $900. She said said did not have the money, and told the caller so. He also requested her Social Security number, driver's license number and debit card information, all of which she gave to him. Feb. 18.

• A resident of Oakhurst Place went to her bank to arrange a wire transfer of $7,500 in response to a phone caller who asked for the money to "free her imprisoned grandson." The bank teller refused to carry out the transaction and advised her to contact police, which she did. Feb. 4.

• A man attempted to cash a fraudulent check at Wells Fargo Bank at 735 Santa Cruz Ave. When he was unsuccessful, he left the bank. Feb. 4.